Illuminated sign



May 19, 1936. A. KALlF/xAN ILLUMINATED SIGN Filed Oct. 3, 19155 'Patented May 19, 1936 PATENT OFFICE ILLUMINATED SIGN Alfonse Kaufman, Long Beach,`N. Y., assigner to Biolite, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application October 3,`1935, Serial No. 43,356

`'l Claims. (Cl. l0-130) This invention relates to illuminated signs and more particularly to a combined light, casing and 4support for carrying and illuminating characters as shown and described in the application of Alfon'se Kaufman for Display devices, Serial No.

24,242, filed May 31, 1935. Such characters may be in the form of letters, numerals, or emblems and the like, and consist of a sealed and evacuated glass element containing a liquid of low boiling point. Proximity to an electric light bulb or other suitable heat source causes the liquid to rise in the element and a succession of bubbles to pass upward through the liquid.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved illuminated sign which is unusual in de- 4sign and pleasing in appearance.

Another object is to provide an illuminated sign in which the display may be changed more readily` and eiiiciently.

A further object is to provide an illuminated sign which is simple in construction and reliable in operation. i

Other objects and advantages will in part be stated and in part be obvious when the following i specification is read in connection with the drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front perspective view partly broken away to show interior construction; Fig. 2 is a cross section taken in line 2-2 of Fig. -l; Fig. 3 30 is a fragmental sectional view of one end of the casing, showing in detail the manner of fastening the removable channel member; and Fig. 4 is a rear perspective view of a supporting clip.

Referring in more detail to Fig. 1, the numeral 4Sli I represents a bent sheet metal casing which is turned up along the lower front margin to provide an upstanding flange 2. End' walls 3 are provided and are attached to the casing I by any suitable means such as riveting. The front margins of the 40 en'd walls 3 carry an inturned ange 4 and the top margin carries4 a iiange 5 which may be pierced or otherwise arranged to provide suspension means. The interior of the casing I carries a curvedreector 6 and sockets 1 for a tubular lamp which overlies the reflector. Leaf springs 8 are secured at one end by the fastening member which secures the sockets 1, and the free ends of the springs project forwardly to bear against the glass panel section 9. The front face of the panel section 9 has ribs or corrugations III which serve to diffuse the transmitted light. Bearing against these corrugations is a glass display panel II which may carry transparencies or advertising material capable of illumination from the l rear. To protect the lower corners of the glass panels 9 and II, felt pads I2 are inserted in the casing at these points.

A removable channel member I3 ts over the top margin of both panel sections 9 and I I, serving both to secure the panel sections in close con- 5 tact and as the support for the bubbling display letters I4. Attached to the rear wall of the channel member I3 and extending the entire length thereof is a sheet metal strip I5. The top and bottom edges of strip l5 are bent rearward and 10 upon the strip to provide channels. Clips I1 are stamped from sheet metal blanks with two resilient arm portions bent outwardly to support the letters I4. The rear portion of the clip remains i as upper and lower transverse arms I6 joined l5 by a vertical web portion as shown in Fig. 4. The arms I6 are slidably 'retained in the channels formed in strip I5 as previously described. The clips are inserted at either end of the strip I5 when the channel member I3 is detached, and 20 the clips may be moved along the slot to their desired position when the channel member is in place or detached. By this method of support, the letters I4 may extend from one end ofthe casing to the other, instead of being restricted to a part thereof, as in prior constructions. In the preferred form of construction the letters I4 are inserted in the clips and cemented thereto in order to prevent any subsequent `misalignment from handling or shipment. Supported centrally and on the forward face of the metal strip I5 is a leaf spring I8 which bears against the back of the panel section 9 to resiliently hold the glass panels against movement. At either end of the channel member I3 is a tongue I9 as shown in 35 Fig. 3, which depends from the central web and cooperates with a spring clip 20 carried in casing I, to secure the letters I4 and channel member I3 to thecasing. The tongue I9 and spring clip 20 may be more securely engaged by providing a 40 punched boss on one member and a cooperating depression on the other. Supports 2| are also provided by punching out bosses from the bottom surface of casing I, and these may have felt or rubber pads attached to prevent marring of any supporting surface.

It will be obvious that many changes and modications may be made by anyone skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the-invention as expressed in the following claims: Y

1. In an illuminated sign, a casing, a source of illumination in said casing, a panel forming the 'front wall of said casing, a member detachably secured to said casing and'engaging the up- 55 panel, means carried by per margin of said panel, a plurality of clips carrying display characters, and means on said member for slidably supporting said clips' adjacent the inner surface of said panel whereby lsaid characters said source.

2. In an illuminated sign, a casing, a source of illumination in said casing, a translucent display panel mounted in said casing, a detachable channel member secured to said casing at either end and engaging the top margin of said display said channel member for slidably retaining a plurality of clips, and a plurality of display characters supported byl said clips. A l

3. In an illuminated Sign, a casing having an upturned flange along the bottom front margin thereof, end walls on said casing having inturned flanges on the front surfaces thereof, a translucent display panel supported by all of said flanges, a detachable channel member secured to may receive illumination from flanges. a detachable channel member secured to said casing at either` end and having a portionv 5. In an illuminated sign, a casing, a source. of illumination in said casing, a translucent panel mounted in said casing, a member detachably secured to said casing, means on said member resiliently engaging said panel, a plurality of clips carrying display characters, and means for slidably supporting said clips on said member.

6. In an illuminated sign, a casing, an electric light, a light socket secured to said casing, a translucent panel mounted in said casing, a spring attached to said light socket and bearing against said panel, a member detachably engaging the top of said panel, a plurality of clips carrying display characters, and means for slidably supporting said'clips on said member.

7. In an illuminated sign. a casing, a source of illumination in said casing, a member detachably secured to said casing, a plurality of clips slidably supported on said member, and a plurality of display characters cemented to said clip, whereby said characters are retained in predetermined alignment.

ALFONSE KAUFMAN. 

